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Kuwait Grand Mosque 'unlikely to collapse'

Researchers have said cracks in building not enough to justify tearing mosque down

A local researcher said the mosque was unlikely to collapse.

By Elizabeth Broomhall

Tue 24 Apr 2012 04:56 PM

The Grand Mosque in Kuwait will not be demolished,
despite the appearance of cracks in the building due to land sliding deep under
certain parts of the structure.

In a report by the Kuwait Times, a local researcher
said the mosque was unlikely to collapse and did not need to be torn down.

“Demolishing the mosque is not in our mind, as every
engineering problem has an engineering solution, especially as the building is
made of resistant cement and has the ability to withstand almost anything,” Dr
Naji Al-Mutairi, the director of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
(KISR) was reported as saying.

He added that the building would only be at risk of
collapse if larger cracks appeared, but the building was far from reaching this
stage.

KISR is working on a six-month study to understand the
reasons for the cracks.

Preliminary investigations show they are caused by
land sliding deeper under certain parts of the mosque.